Michael Parciak And Janusz Korczak: Ideas And Suggestions

Michael Parciak, who was the Chief Architect of Korczak City on the Internet in the late 90s, had many ideas and suggestions for disseminating the legacy of Janusz Korczak. One of his main concerns was how Korczak’s ideas could be applied to the present and future of education. He felt strongly that Korczak was absolutely necessary in a world that deals with the issues of children’s rights. Michael wanted to spread Korczak’s philosophy to countries where children were at particular risk due to the lack of supportive legislation.

We know that Korczak viewed the child as a complete human being, which was entitled to definite rights. His view was quite the opposite of that of the Middle Ages, in which a child was considered a dwarfish version of an adult and the paintings of that time reflect it. A child needed instruction to become complete and it is no wonder that some of the earliest children’s verses in England deal with manners and behavior. Korczak was a visionary, who even now is not understood fully. Michael Parciak was a visionary in realizing the immense possibilities of the internet when it was just gaining prominence. He felt that the internet could spread Korczak’s conceptions throughout the globe and offer children from all countries the opportunity to participate in an educational forum. And so, Korczak City came into being.

Michael saw Korczak City as an innovative model in establishing multicultural, multilingual and multi-social contacts between children of all countries. Korczak City would be a means of promoting partnership contacts between schools and children in which educational projects could be shared through the internet. Michael foresaw what is commonplace today: internet libraries, school books, teachers, lessons and interactive lessons. What Michael Parciak planned, however, is by no means finished; it is an ongoing project. As long as children’s rights are violated, Janusz Korczak’s and Michael Parciak’s ideas remain ideals to be achieved.

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About Robert M. WeissFrom an early age, I've taken great pleasure in reading. Also, I learned to play my 78 player when I was quite young, and enjoyed listening to musicals and classical music. I remember sitting on the floor, and following the text and pictures of record readers, which were popular in the 1940s and 50s. My favorites were the Bozo and Disney albums. I also enjoyed watching the slow spinning of 16s as they spun out tales of adventure.
I have always been attracted by rivers, and I love to sit on a boulder with my feet in the water, gazing into the mysteries of swirling currents. I especially like inner tubing on the Rogue River in Southern Oregon.
Since my early youth, I've been interested in collecting minerals, which have taught me about the wonderful possibilities in colors and forms. Sometimes I try to imagine what the ancient Greeks must have felt when they began to discover physical laws in nature. I also remember that I had a special passion for numbers, and used to construct them out of stones.
After teaching Russian for several years, I became a writer, interviewer, editor, and translator. I continue to delight in form, and am a problem solver at heart.

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